Man Utd make key additions to 'best-in-class' Academy recruitment team
Cardiff City's Ben Clarke (left) and Ipswich Town's Callum Tongue (right) are the latest additions to Manchester United's Academy
Written by Simon Austin — October 20, 2023
MANCHESTER UNITED have appointed a new Head of Local Recruitment and Pre-Academy Lead Scout as they continue to assemble a “best-in-class” Academy scouting and recruitment team.
As TGG reported last month, there have already been a number of departures and arrivals as United build a department that is “fit for purpose in a post-Brexit world.”
Now we can reveal that Callum Tongue will arrive from Ipswich Town, where he has been Under-18s coach since March, to become Head of Local Recruitment. Tongue previously worked for Manchester City for nine years as both a coach and recruiter.
Ben Clarke has joined from Cardiff City, where he is Head of Academy Recruitment, to become Pre-Academy Lead Scout. Clarke had worked for the Bluebirds for six years.
And Finn O’Leary will come in from Blackburn Rovers, where he is Recruitment Operations Manager, to become Assistant Lead Phase Scout for the local area.
The fact that United have landed senior staff from other clubs shows the level of their intent.
United are also in the process of recruiting a Lead 17-20 Scout and Phase Scout for the 17s to 20s, as well as an Academy Negotiator.
These appointments are in addition to the ones we announced last month:
- Ben McFarlan (Academy Technical Scout): Managing all video content and assisting in scouting players aged 13 to 16, as well as contributing to the 17 to 20 age groups. Had previously been a Scouting and Recruitment Analyst at United for seven years.
- Connor Hunter: (Lead 13 to 16 National Scout): Previously Assistant Head of Local Recruitment
- Jamahl Jarrett (Phase Scout managing the South region)
- Stephen Ajewole: (17 to 20 Phase Scout): Previously Lead Phase Scout for the South.
- Stephen Tierney: (Lead 9 to 14 Scout): Managing all 9 to 14 recruitment, incoming trial players and Emerging Talent events. Previously Assistant Lead Phase Scout for the 9s to 11s.
And these were United’s existing Academy scouts (in addition to their network of scouts they have out in the field):
- Gary Riley (Lead Scout 6-8).
- Tony Parks (Academy Goalkeeping Scout).
- Connor Hunter (Head of Local Recruitment 12-16).
-1.png)
